Canucks 4, Avalanche 1: Daniel Sedin snapped a tie - and his four-game goal-scoring drought - with a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle at 11:32 of the third period as host Vancouver posted its sixth straight victory.

Cory Schneider made 32 saves in his sixth consecutive start for the Canucks, who improved to 18-0-2 in their last 20 meetings with Colorado and took sole possession of first place in the Northwest Division. Sedin, captain Henrik Sedin and Alex Burrows all finished with a goal and an assist while Chris Higgins scored into an empty net to ice the contest.

Matt Duchene had the lone tally for the Avalanche, who have one win in their last nine games overall and fell to 0-7-3 in their last 10 on the road. Semyon Varlamov stopped 16 shots.

Burrows opened the scoring 4:27 into the game, finishing a crisp passing play with the Sedins by tapping the puck into an open net from the side of the crease. The goal held up until Duchene converted a quick one-timer from the slot off a pass by PA Parenteau at 4:02 of the third.

Henrik Sedin hadn’t scored in five games before finding the empty net with 1:24 remaining to complete his ninth multi-point performance. Higgins’ empty-net goal with 40 seconds remaining was his first in nine contests.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Vancouver has scored the first goal in each of its last nine games, while the Avalanche have allowed the first in each of their last nine. … The division rivals meet once more at Colorado on April 13, when the Canucks will try for the season sweep. … Colorado’s last road victory was a 4-3 shootout win over Minnesota on Feb. 14.